


Prepping for Parents

by Filigranka



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Found Family, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:42:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25641514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Filigranka/pseuds/Filigranka
Summary: ‘It’ll be hell of a day for all of us,’ Barret spoke slowly, with unusual emphasis on every word. ‘But we survived it already. Last year. All these years before. We survived it. We will survive tomorrow, too.’
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart & Cloud Strife & Barret Wallace
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8
Collections: Battleship 2020, Battleship 2020 - Red Team





	Prepping for Parents

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Resilur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Resilur/gifts).



‘Thank you for coming back. Tomorrow’s Parents’ Day, we need all hands on the deck.’ Tifa checked 7th Heaven’s supplies.

Once again. Cloud knew Parents’ Day would be incredibly busy in all the bars—after the Meteorfall and Geostigma there were too many people grieving for their families and escaping from their despair into the bottle. But checking the storage room eight times—the room to which he personally had brought what had felt like a ton of various alcohols, juices, syrups and soft sodas—seemed awfully like an escape, too.

‘I’m a courier boy. You had ordered half of Junon’s alcohol supplies, somebody had to transport them.’ Cloud smiled lightly and nodded at Barret, returning to the bar’s main room after putting the kids to sleep. ‘I’m sure all these bottles I brought are more than enough for tomorrow.’

‘We should go to the beds.’ Barret came closer and put his hand on Tifa’s arm. ‘Get a damn good sleep before tomorrow customers’ siege.’

‘I know, I know. Go, you two. I’ll take one last look and—‘

‘Tifa.’

She shook her head.

‘I wish I could sleep tomorrow through.’

‘We will help you.’ Cloud couldn’t make drinks well enough, but he definitely could serve them.

‘It’ll be hell of a day for all of us,’ Barret spoke slowly, with unusual emphasis on every word. ‘But we survived it already. Last year. All these years before. We survived it. We will survive tomorrow, too.’

‘Sure we will!’ Tifa smiled, but it took only a squeeze from Barret for her smile to falter. ‘I’m just… thinking. About the kids. I know they’re making something for us, all of us, for tomorrow, and I’m so happy about it, but I also… I don’t know. I don’t want them to forget about their… lost families either. It’s just…’ She made a vague gesture. ‘It feels unfair. Everything.’

‘All of this is fucked up,’ agreed Barret. ‘But at least we’re in it together. The kids have us. We have them.’

‘I know, I just… I want them to be happy. Carefree.’ Tifa’s hand was wandering on the bottles, her fingertips passing on the colourful labels.

The labels had stayed the same after all the last disasters. The promises, fantasies, memories of a better, easier, _richer_ life, wild nights at clubs, calm evenings in country houses, flow of vibrant dresses on the streets.

Now, kids collected these labels and used them in games. The bottles became soldiers, shoppers, doctors, mages, parents, knights, princesses and princes… So, the fantasies all again.

‘They are happy,’ said Cloud, trying to push doubts out of his voice; after all, who he was to make the claim, he, whose job meant constant travels, what did he know about the kids’ behavior through his absences? 

So it was fortunate, that Tifa seemed not to be listening. ‘Easy, carefree childhood like I, like we had… But I wish to remember my father’s face better, too. When I think about it, I only see the stale pictures. Like photos. Like that fake Nibelheim. Frozen.’

There was a long moment of silence. Cloud didn’t feel like an expert in real memories. There were time when he wondered if the face he remembered as his mother’s is even right. It seemed so–according to the schoolbook in that Shinra’s Nibelheim’s reproduction. Could it be he’d build all his memories on it…?

So, now, he took Tifa’s hand and squeezed it tightly before making small circles with his thumb. He’d been never good at putting emotions into words, but Tifa always seemed to understand him. Perhaps this was what pulled him back, every time, from his trips.

Barret coughed. Cloud was sure there was nothing in his throat.

‘Elmyra taught Marlene that Parents’ Day was actually The Family’s Day, a day for everybody who was and had been important in our lives, no matter when and where, no matter where they were now. So, Marlene will make pictures and cards for us, for Elmyra, for Aerith, for Yuffie, for her parents… For everybody.’

‘I’m sure she already made Denzel subscribe to this model, too,’ said Cloud. ‘But I’ll talk to him. Tell him to not worry about all politics bullshit and make all pictures… talk about… remember everybody he wants. Shinra or not. We won’t get hurt or angry.’

‘Angry? If he wants to make them, we’ll be honoured to have pictures of his parents on the wall, alongside Marlene’s!’ Joy in Tifa’s voice seemed a little tense, forced, thought Cloud; but the intention, the decision was honest, and this was all that matted.

Tifa finally turned back from the shelf and faced Barret and Cloud. ‘Remember to tell him this.’

Cloud almost rolled his eyes, but well, considering some of his… less shining parenting moment… Tifa’s comment was probably only fair.

‘You have a mission, choco-boy!’ Barret punched his arm lightly. ‘Here’s another one: help the kids make a nice breakfast tomorrow for Tifa, she’ll need a lot of energy!’

‘They don’t have to—‘

‘Nah. Kids gotta feel they’re doing their part. Tomorrow’s going to be hell of a day, yes, but we… we’re a family. Family means sticking around for hellish days, too. Do you remember busy nights in the original 7th Heaven? You didn’t want to lie in your bed either, even at the very beginning.’

Tifa laughed.

‘You always tried to make me! We argued so hard about it and I was sneaking outside and advertising 7th Heaven when you told me to stay in my room and not come into the bar…’

‘It gave me scare of my life, when I found out you were gone that one night.’

‘I remember.’ Tifa’s sighed. ‘Now, with Denzel and Marlene… I understand.’

‘Nah, nah. I understand, too. I was the same as a kid.’

‘I imagine.’ Cloud felt a corner of his lips rising. ‘I also imagine Rufus won’t notice if I put the cost of a family apartment in Costa del Sol on his shipment bill. He probably rents a whole hotel for himself, whenever he comes there. Once we survive tomorrow and this whole week, we’re going to grab Elmyra and make ourselves The Family’s Fortnight, how about it?’

‘About it? Ha, in the immortal words of the best leader I know’ Barret nodded to Cloud, ‘let’s mosey.’


End file.
